The Second Emerald Master (Finalized Edition)
by Winter Skyhawk
Summary: The first story in the series. Andrew Jackson is your average teen who's on a path to success. In school, participating in sports, and going to work part time. However, after learning the death of his mother, he returns home to find a safe hidden away in his basement. Once found, he finds that he's discovered a power that will change his life forever...
1. Nine Months Ago

Chapter 1 – Nine Months Ago

The story opens with 18 year old, Andrew Jackson, and his sister, Lindsay Jackson, 18, preparing to board a flight to Pittsburgh from Los Angeles to the University of Pittsburgh. After the flight is announced, their mother, Felicia Jackson, scrambles their belongings together in order to get to the boarding entrance on time.

"Mom, we're fine, okay? You don't have to worry so much," said Andrew.

"I'm sorry, it's just that the two of you are going all the way to Pittsburgh some 2500 miles away," their mother said.

"We'll be fine, mom," Lindsay said. "After everything you put us through to make sure we were all ready to go, I'm confident we can do this."

"We'll call as soon as we get to the airport," Andrew said.

"All right. Wait, do you have your jackets? It gets cold up there in the winter."

"You packed our suitcases; if I didn't know any better, I'd say you packed our entire wardrobe in here."

"FLIGHT 568 TO PITTSBURGH IS NOW BOARDING," says the flight attendant on the PA.

"This is it; I'm gonna miss you SO MUCH!" Felicia says, hugging them tightly as if she didn't want to let them go.

"Please, mom! You're a strong woman!" Andrew said.

"At some point, you need to let go! We can't breathe!" Lindsay added.

"I'm sorry..."

"FLIGHT 568 TO PITTSBURGH, FINAL BOARDING."

Andrew and Lindsay pick up their luggage and walk over to the entrance gate. They hand the flight attendant their plane tickets and are directed to their seats on the plane. Their mother continues to watch on as her cell phone begins to ring.

"Hello? ...All right, I'm on my way."

She waves at her kids one last time and then moves quickly out of the airport.

Meanwhile, at the FBI HQ in Los Angeles (this is an actual location 11000 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024), Lead Agent Dwayne Johnson (not to be confused with WWE Superstar, The Rock) and senior detectives Mason Walker and Desiree Watson are in the meeting room being debriefed on one of the FBI's Most Wanted, Jason West, who is wanted for the murder of 208 people, 57 of them children, 45 police officers, and 12 FBI agents.

"I'm growing impatient with you and your team, Johnson, what is it going to take to stop this son of bitch from taking anymore innocent lives?!" said Robert S. Mueller III, the Director of The FBI. (This man is the actual director of the FBI.)

"We're doing the best we can, director, but every time we get close, he manages to stay five steps ahead of us! I'm running out of options!" said Dwayne Johnson.

"Well, you better start figuring out something soon or you and your team will be in a soup kitchen line down in the Watts and Compton areas of the city!"

Just then, Felicia walks into the room.

"Sorry about the delay; I got here as fast as I could," she said.

"Yeah; it's amazing how fast you can get here and yet you can't catch one guy!"

"For the last time, Director, I've repeatedly stated that when this all started, he had several accomplices on the outside carrying out whatever plans he had in store for the city. Every time we get close, he's already disappeared!"

"We've managed to arrest and detain several of his accomplices," Dwayne said. "But they still are tight lipped on giving any details on where he's hiding."

"Do we at least have any more details on what the cause of all of this is?"

"Unfortunately, no. All we know is that he had a rough childhood growing up. He was sexually molested by his late father when he was 10. Throughout school, he got into many fights and was suspended several times out of school, one time for nearly ending someones life. He dropped out of junior high and ended up forming a gang whose motive was hurting people that could potentially hurt others. Sounds like a good gang, right?"

"They wanted to protect and serve; I guess that is a good thing," the director said.

"Not quite," said Mason. "After a while, they felt that they should be rewarded for protecting the people of Los Angeles, so they resorted to extortion from the elderly and small businesses. If they didn't comply, they were highly likely to be violent."

"We were tipped off when Jason and his gang members were spotted walking into a grocery store. All of them were caught and charged with fraud, extortion, aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder," Desiree said. "Jason's gang members were sentenced while Jason himself got off on a technicality."

The director's phone rings and he steps out of the room to answer it.

"We'll pick this up tomorrow," Dwayne said. "Continue asking around for people that might have seen him and encourage them to come forward."

Everyone leaves the room except for Felicia who is stopped by Dwayne.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I just wanted to make sure you were all right being on this team. I knew you had a personal motive in all this," he replied.

"I still don't understand what issues he could have had with him. He just came back from Iraq when it happened. Both Andrew and Lindsay would have been ecstatic about his homecoming."

"I know they would've loved it; the only thing we can do to ensure that this won't happen again is to find him and take him down before someone else is caught in his path."

"I hope you are right..."

Dwayne walks out of the room while Felicia continues to stare down at the mug shot of Jason West.

"I swear that when I find you... I will kill you."


	2. Present Day, End of Freshman Year

Chapter 2 – Present Day, End of Freshman Year

Saturday, April 28, 2012

1:04 PM

Benedum Hall, Oakland – Thackeray St

Andrew is making his way out of the building with many other students enjoying the fact that summer is around the corner. Everyone except him, that is.

"Ugh... I stayed up way too late studying for these finals," he said. "I will never do that again."

He continues making his way down the street to Litchfield Towers on 5th Ave when someone runs into him. Both of them fall to the ground and Andrew runs his head.

"Hey, what's the big idea?! Why don't you watch...?"

As he looks up, he sees it is one of his classmates, Maria, picking up the books she dropped.

"Oh, uh, Maria," he said, nervously. "I didn't see you there."

"No, it's my fault," she replied. "I should've been watching where I was going."

"It's okay," he said, going over to help her up.

Once she's back on her feet, she and Andrew exchange a look at each other for a moment before either one of them speaks.

"Hey, guys!"

They both turn around and see Lindsay, Andrew's sister.

"Isn't this great? Final exams are over, summer is around the corner, and things seem to be really looking up for my brother."

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't know? I overheard about how you've been doing this year. If you keep up all of the hard work in the classroom, you could potentially be valedictorian by graduation!"

"Oh, well, congratulations, Andrew. You must be really proud of yourself," Maria says, shyly.

"Thanks, Maria. I also heard the same about you potentially becoming salutatorian. I... just wanted to tell you... good luck."

"Thanks... that means a lot coming from you."

"I guess I'll see you around...?" he says, slowly walking away.

"Yeah... see you later..." she says, watching him walk away.

Andrew and Lindsay continue to make their way down the street through the sea of students back to their dorms.

"So uh, you and Maria, huh?" Lindsay asked, curiously.

"It's nothing like that," Andrew replied. "We're just friends, that's all. Nothing more."

"Sure it is, Andrew. But I've seen the way you two stare at each other. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the two of you have a crush on each other."

"We do not have a crush on each other. It's like I said, we are only friends."

"Okay, Andrew; whatever you say."

Once at the corner, Andrew looks up and sees a figure at the top of one of the towers looking down at him.

"What in the world?" he said to himself.

"What? What are you looking at?" Lindsay asked.

The both look up again and see that the figure is gone.

"Nothing, it's nothing..."

He looks up again and sees the figure looking down at him again. Not sure of what to make of it, he continues into his dorm.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

9:34 PM

Litchfield Towers, Oakland – 5th Ave

Later that night, Andrew is taking a much needed sleep after the tests he took wore him out. His roommate, Kieron Sakima (kai-rin sa-KEY-muh), walks in exhausted after a busy day at work. He heads straight for the desk and drops his bag on it not realizing that Andrew is sleep.

"Oops," he says, quietly.

Andrew sits up rubbing his eyes and sees it's only his roommate.

"They finally let you go?" Andrew asked groggily.

"Yeah," he replied. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"What do you mean?"

"Going to school and working at the same time. It's stressful; I barely get enough sleep just making sure I complete all of my assignments on time."

"Did you try the technique I told to use?"

"I did, but I wanted to make sure that the information stuck with me."

"Remember, 45 minutes per subject with a 15 minute break in between. Take careful and detailed notes and memorize. Just reading it doesn't help. *yawn*"

"I know; and sorry I woke you up."

"I wasn't actually sleep; I was just tired from staying up too late last night."

"Late night studying again?"

"Unfortunately. I think I picked up your habit of making sure you have everything down."

"Ha ha, I guess so. How did your sister do?"

"I don't know; she didn't tell me yet."

"She told me about you and Maria possibly having a crush on each other."

"We're just friends; that's all!"

"I've seen the way you've looked at each other. Honestly, I could see you two as a couple."

"Kieron, shut up!"

"Just give her a chance; ask to hang out with her. There's plenty of places to go around here."

"All right, I'll give it a chance, but I don't think she'll want to see me."

"I think she will, but probably only at night."

"Why at night?"

"I heard she has this rare genetic condition that makes her photosensitive to sunlight. It's nothing to worry about. For a while, she was teased about it and people kept calling her a vampire because of how she looked."

"You mean because of the pale skin, white hair, sharp fingernails, and light blue eyes?"

"Something like that."

"So she's different; so what? If that's what she is, then so be it."

"I see you've picked up another one of my many moral values."

"And what's that?"

"The ability to accept someone for who they are. Probably one of the most respected out of any value."

"Isn't that the truth..."

Andrew goes to lay back down when he notices the same figure from earlier watching him from a distance. He walks over to the window to get a better look and sees an echidna (he doesn't know it's an echidna) on top of the roof of Benedum Hall looking out at him.

"What are you looking at?" Kieron asked, walking to the window.

Kieron looks out the window, yet doesn't see anything other than the people walking up and down the street and the buses stopping at the corner.

"What's wrong? You look like you've seen something crazy."

"I did; or at least I thought I did..."

"...Okay..."

He looks back, but sees that the figure is gone.

"Just who or what is that watching me...?" he asked himself.


	3. Prophecy

Chapter 3 – Prophecy

Sunday, April 29, 2012

2:19 AM

Litchfield Towers, Oakland - 5th Ave

Andrew and Kieron are fast asleep after a long day of work. Andrew, however, is tossing and turning in his sleep and ends up waking up.

"Ugh..." he said, sitting up.

He begins to make his way to the bathroom and then hears something hit the front door.

"It's two o'clock in the morning. Who could possibly want something at this hour?"

After he walks towards the door, he looks down to see a bright light filtering its way into the room.

"What is this? It's probably a senior prank..."

He opens the door and walks through only to find himself in a room of a bright white light.

"What the...?"

The door closes behind him and a sense of weightlessness overtakes his body. He floats into the air not sure where he's headed.

"Where am I? Where am I going?"

He continues floating in the air when suddenly hears a voice talking to him.

"...The time has come..."

"What?" he said, confused.

"...You have been chosen..."

"Wait, chosen? For what? I don't understand what's going on..."

Andrew then feels himself landing on the ground as the white light clears to find himself at the bottom of a mountain with a river running through a canyon towards an ocean and a tunnel leading into the mountain. The gap is bridged by a stone bridge leading up to a multi-level altar surrounded by seven pillars with seven different colored emeralds and one large green emerald perched in the center at the top.

"Now where am I...? This is way too weird..."

Andrew looks around trying to figure out where he is and begins walking towards the bridge. Before he can get closer to the altar, his ankles are instantly tied up by a flying wire with two rocks on each end. Andrew falls to the ground with a heavy thud as several echidnas come out from hiding and surround him holding long wooden spears at him.

"What the...?" Andrew said to himself, not able to move. "Who are these guys? Where did they come from?"

A bag is put over his head and he feels himself being dragged away not knowing where he's being taken. About five minutes later, the bag is removed and Andrew sees that he's been brought into a room deep inside a temple with a mural of a giant water-like monster painted on the wall from top to bottom. The soldiers that brought him there untie his legs and then leave the temple and close the door behind them.

"Now what?" Andrew asked, standing to his feet. "Maybe I should try to get out of here..."

He turns to leave when someone calls out to him.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

Andrew turns around and sees an older male echidna holding a staff and wearing clothes that would mark him as a tribe leader.

"Oh, uh...?! Who are you?!" Andrew asks, nervously.

"I am Chief Pachacamac, leader of the Knuckles Tribe! The reason you are here is because of..."

"It's because of me!"

The chief's daughter, Tikal, walks into the room, despite her father's demand not to interfere.

"What part of 'stay out of this' did you not understand?!" he said, furiously.

"I know you don't want me here, but there has been a sign from the Master Emerald!" she replied.

"Master Emerald?" Andrew said to himself.

"Get out of here, Tikal! This does not concern you!"

"Father, forgive me, but there has been a sign, a sign from the Master Emerald!"

"Regarding what?!"

"It has something to do with him! I've seen what the Master Emerald has seen. He's from the future; but not of this world."

"...Sometimes I wonder about whether or not you actually are able to communicate with the Master Emerald. I'll let you handle this, but my guards will be watching every move you and whoever this is you make!"

The chief leaves the temple and the guards surround the walls of the chamber. Tikal unties the ropes around Andrew's wrists and ankles so that he can move again.

"I must apologize for my father," she said. "Anyone who comes onto our land is seen as a potential threat."

"Thanks for the help, but..."

"You're wondering why you're here."

"Yes... but the more I think about it, the more I believe I'm dreaming. None of this actually exists; this is all in my head. This is probably from staying up all night preparing for finals..."

"This isn't a dream, Andrew; everything you see here is real."

"...How do you know my name?"

"I don't have much time to explain, but I will leave you with this."

She walks up to Andrew and presses her hand on his chest.

"What are you doing?" he asks.

"I'm passing on to you what was first handed down to me by the seven master gods."

"Master Gods? Wait, I don't understand...!"

Before Andrew can say anything else, he finds himself being infused with a white light that spreads all over his body from top to bottom. The light lifts him up into the air and gradually brightens as Andrew feels himself submitting to it. His head tilts back and arms spread out as he stares upwards into the light. Then within a brief instant, he finds himself back in his dorm room lying right on his bed. He blinks several times before sitting up looking around for anything unusual. The clock next to his bed reads 9:31 AM.

"Oh, man; that was a wild dream," he said to himself, dazed. "But... it felt so real."

He recalls what the echidna said about his "dream" actually being reality.

"Is it possible that... I may have... actually..."

He turns and looks out of the window only to see the same figure watching him from afar at the top of a parking garage.

"...No... it couldn't be... could it?"

"Well, whatever it could be, it better be quick."

Andrew turns his head back around and sees Kieron in a chair putting his shoes on.

"I wasn't sure if you were gonna wake up this morning," he said. "You looked like you were having a serious dream."

"Yeah, I-I guess so..."

"Maybe it had something to do with the noise the seniors were making last night, going around knocking on people's doors. I woke up to it, but decided to ignore it and go back to sleep."

"...You... heard that too?"

"I thought I heard the door open too, but I think it was just my imagination."

"...Maybe it was..."

Andrew turns around to the window and sees that the figure is gone again.

"Anyway, get yourself dressed. Don't forget we're supposed to be meeting your sister at Station Square in a couple of hours."

"Oh, that's right! I almost forgot!"

"While you get yourself ready, I'm gonna go down to the O and grab a bite to eat."

"All right, I'll meet you down there."

Kieron leaves and heads downstairs the towers plaza. From there he makes his way onto the street and walks up towards South Bouquet St to the O. After he walks in, his phone begins ringing.

"Who could this be?"

He pulls out his phone and sees it's a text message from Lindsay asking Kieron when him and Andrew are coming.

"We're still coming. Just hang on," he said to himself, typing the message on his phone.

He hits the send button and places the phone back in his pocket. Meanwhile, back in the dorm, Andrew has managed to clean himself up and get dressed. Before he walks out, he turns and reaches for the light switch and his phone when he sees the same echidna that he saw in his "dream" right in his dorm. He drops his phone on the floor in total shock.

"You... you're the- the one I saw! In that dream!" he said, freaked out.

"It wasn't a dream, Andrew," she said, walking towards him. "It was real."

"You stay away from me; none of this is happening, okay?! None of this is real! This is all in my head, that's all."

Andrew quickly leaves and shuts the door behind him. He proceeds quickly down the hallway to the elevator and wastes no time getting down to the street.

"If you only understood what was happening..." she said, looking towards the sky.


End file.
